Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 47

Engaged

The months have gone by really quick. Aiden has been better since Zaid left, and now he's been back to his normal upbeat self.

He's taken up his game.

Both in basketball and in bed.

My legs are sore as I walk outside. The air is cold, freezing my nose, but I don't complain. It's better than the unbearable heat. Aiden's had an amazing first half of basketball season and next year they're hoping to go to the state tournament.

I wrap my arms around myself to keep in some of the warmth.

Winter break is next week, and all I can think about is Zaid.

It makes me feel guilty. That I'm excited that he'll be in town. I've never had a pleasant experience with him, and I should hate him, but just the thought of maybe seeing him again...

I shudder.

Sometimes I get this gut feeling that he's watching me, but when I turn to face the

corner

of whatever room I'm in, he's never there. Of course he's not.

I hate myself for missing his charms, even though they annoyed me, even though

he tested every inch of my sanity when he was here.

I can't explain the way his face haunts my dreams.

That I sometimes think about him, even when it is Aiden deep inside me.

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away. I shouldn't feel this way. I'm with

Aiden.

Zaid is his brother, and whatever chemistry there was between us before he left is nothing.

But I still haven't gotten Aiden to talk about the night Zaid got arrested. Every time

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bring it up, he shuts down, changes the subject, or tells me it doesn't matter anymore.

pocket, pulling me from

Come over now.

way. He never texts me like that and I know immediately that something is off. I stuff my phone back in my coat pocket and head in the opposite direction, toward his house instead of

opens the door quickly, as if he's been looking out the window and waiting for me to get home. He doesn't say anything before he

twisting as he harshly

I frown at him, feeling

Alina," he says, his voice

further inside. "Sorry

the back of his neck. "I didn't know, okay?

elbow and walks me into the hallways. Confusion unfurls inside me and

Didn't know what?"

to the living room,

engaged. It's been almost three months since I've seen him,

should be no reason for my stomach to twist the way it

frown, trying to rein in

away. Something else is wrong, deeply

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into the living room, and my heart

of the

next to her

room spins for a second, my breath catching in my throat as I try to make sense

rock

movement not reaches his eyes and he places a hand at my

me as

from across the room.

Aiden behind me, his hand at

between Jake and my mother, the uncomfortable tension filling

cracks, and I clear my throat, trying

clears his throat, that terrible smile still on his face."We wanted to tell

you weren't caught

that," I

pale, his jaw clenched. He's horrified, too.

way he

a step toward me, her hands outstretched. "Alina,

wonderful news?"

"Wonderful news?" I scoff.

Jake flinches.

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at me. "Why are you acting like